Ethan Nwaneri earns start for Arsenal vs Chelsea: A benchwarmer per PL club that deserves a chance

Whether before or after the imminent international break, these guys deserve a chance in the Premier League having warmed the bench for most of the season.

Arsenal: Ethan Nwaneri

Likely quite disappointed that a promising period which could have been his Big Break at Arsenal has nearly come to an end with Martin Odegaard’s imminent return and his only starts have come in the League Cup. Nwaneri scored three goals in those two games and his cameos in the Premier League and Champions League have almost always earned rave reviews from pundits and fans along with questions as to why he’s not being given more game time by Mikel Arteta.

If there’s one criticism that can be aimed at Arteta in his time at Arsenal it’s been his lack of trust in academy products and with the Chelsea game possibly coming too soon for Odegaard to start there’s no reason why Nwaneri shouldn’t be given the opportunity amid the struggles of his fellow forwards.

Aston Villa: Jhon Duran

It was pretty clear why Unai Emery has been reticent to play Duran with Ollie Watkins after Aston Villa’s defeat to Club Brugge. It really didn’t work when Duran came off the bench to make a front two, so it’s one or the other and with Watkins goalless in his last four in all competitions it’s time for Big JD, who’s ravenous like a pre-domesticated dog.

Bournemouth: n/a

Beat Arsenal, drew with Aston Villa, beat Manchester City. They’re probably alright as they are for now.

Brentford: Yunus Konak

To be clear we have very little idea about Konak’s virtues but having watched Fulham entirely dominate possession against Brentford on Monday we’re wondering whether the teenager may be able to keep the ball a little better in midfield.

Brighton: Julio Enciso

Difficult to see exactly how Fabian Hurzeler might get him into the team given Georginio Rutter’s been really pretty good behind the revitalised Danny Welbeck. This is more a selfish desire to see a lovely footballer playing football again.

Chelsea: Christopher Nkunku

We can’t see him coming in for Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Maresca made it very clear that they were fighting for the same spot in the team. But we wonder if there’s any wiggle room there and whether Nkunku – after two more goals in the Europa Conference League took his tally in all competitions to ten this season – could be a bit of a square peg in a round hole on the wing, perhaps in place of Noni Madueke, whose form has dipped in recent games after an excellent start to the season.

The fear for Chelsea fans will be that arguably their most natural finisher will be angling for a move without more Premier League game time.

Crystal Palace: Cheick Doucoure

He was injured for a while but has started just one of the five Premier League games he’s been available for and none of Daichi Kamada, Adam Wharton or Will Hughes have been good enough to nail down a starting spot ahead of Doucoure in midfield. They’re all also probably injured.

Everton: Jake O’Brien

Jarrad Branthwaite’s making his slow way back which will be a big boost for Everton fans, but possibly not enough of a change to an ageing backline. O’Brien has impressed in the League Cup and could form a long-term partnership with Braithwaite if given the opportunity.

Fulham: Harry Wilson

Not handing Wilson his first start of the season after two goals in eight minutes from the bench – including one sublime finish – to turn defeat into victory against Brentford would be incredibly cruel.

Ipswich: Massimo Luongo

Luongo at 32 probably isn’t the answer to any question other than ‘how can we ensure the cursed Kalvin Phillips doesn’t ruin our entire season?’.

Leicester: Bilal El Khannouss

Not easy to get him into the team what with Leicester’s three of Facundo Buonanotte, Abdul Fatawu and Stephy Mavididi among their best performers, but we would love to see a bit more of El Khannouss, who scored a brilliant goal in the Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester United.

Liverpool: Kostas Tsimikas

It feels as though Andy Robertson is in his twilight years at Liverpool and the left-back balance of power has been slowly shifting towards Tsimikas, who started against Brighton and should retain his place.

Manchester City: Jeremy Doku

The main man on the left at the start of the season but Matheus Nunes has been preferred in that role in recent weeks. And, to be fair to Nunes, he’s looked pretty good and deserves a spot in City’s best team right now, but somewhere else. Doku frustrates but Makes Things Happen and Pep Guardiola needs his side to be doing things from the outset rather than in that final 20-minute push that wasn’t enough against Bournemouth.

Manchester United: Amad Diallo

Two goals against PAOK in an otherwise typically lacklustre display from Manchester United. In what has been a long and desperate search for attacking threat and creativity it would be insane not to pick a player in form.

READ MORE: Rasmus Hojlund must prove he’s Viktor Gyokeres, or Man Utd will sign Viktor Gyokeres

Newcastle: Lloyd Kelly

Definitely not going to happen as Dan Burn has played every minute so far this season and with Chris Wood to come on Sunday Eddie Howe will quite reasonably see that as a better match-up, but Kelly would probably have hoped for a bit more game time given Sven Botman’s long-term injury. After the international break, maybe.

Nottingham Forest: Jota Silva

Not too many weak links in the third-best team in the Premier League but if there has been one it’s Anthony Elanga, who’s yet to score and has just one assist. Silva meanwhile looks like a lot of fun, and while Nuno Espírito Santo doesn’t strike us as a manager focused too much on football as entertainment, we can’t see Forest losing too much by Elanga being removed from the starting line-up.

READ MORE: Nuno finds his freak in Forest after catastrophic Tottenham dalliance, which is nice

Southampton: Maxwel Cornet

We can’t be alone in not knowing he was a Southampton player. Cornet’s made two substitute appearance and hasn’t even been in the squad for four of the eight games he’s been available for. Not sure what he’s done or hasn’t done to Russell Martin, but more than a bit odd to sideline a player who when fit and firing has plenty to offer.

Tottenham: Archie Gray

He’s only 18 but he did cost £30m and we frequently watch Spurs games and think they could really do with someone exactly like Archie Gray in the heart of midfield to calm everyone down a bit.

West Ham: Luis Guilherme

Lucas Paqueta has been mediocre at best – distracted for some reason, perhaps – and while we know Julen Lopetegui is something of a fun sponge West Ham need something or someone to spark what has been a miserable season so far and the Brazilian teenager could be the answer.

Wolves: Goncalo Guedes

Fair to say he’s not pulled up any trees since his £27.5m move in the summer of 2022, albeit with most of the intervening time out on loan, but he’s scored three goals in his two League Cup starts and deserves a Premier League opportunity after coming off the bench to provide a lovely assist in the draw against Crystal Palace.